A recreational vehicle or trailer (RV) may be provided with a door (sometimes referred to as a ramp door) that is pivotally connected to the vehicle proximate a floor thereof and pivotable about an axis parallel to the floor and to a wall (typically a rear wall) of the vehicle in which the door may be installed. Such a door typically has a first (or connected) end, a second (or free) end, a first side, and a second side. In embodiments wherein the door is in a rear wall of the vehicle, the first side may be a driver's side and the second side may be a passenger side. In an embodiment, the ramp door may effectively be the rear wall of the vehicle.
Such a door may be used in a ramp configuration wherein the door extends between the interior of the vehicle and the ground. In the ramp configuration, the door may serve as a loading ramp facilitating loading and unloading of cargo to and from the vehicle. In the ramp configuration, the connected end of the door typically would be supported by the vehicle and the free end of the door typically would be supported by the ground.
Alternatively, such a door may be used in a deck configuration wherein the door is parallel to a floor of the vehicle. In this configuration, with the floor of the vehicle and, therefore, the ramp door, leveled, the ramp door can be used as a patio deck. In the deck configuration, the connected end of the door typically would be supported by the vehicle. The free end of the door typically would be supported by a first support cable extending between an upper portion of the vehicle (or door frame attached to the vehicle) proximate the first side of the vehicle and a first cable mount located proximate the free end and the first side of the door, and by a second support cable extending between an upper portion of the vehicle (or door frame attached to the vehicle) proximate the second side of the vehicle and a second cable mount located proximate the free end and the second side of the door. The first and second cable mounts typically would be located at about the same distance from the free end of the door, which distance typically would be a short distance so that only a small portion of the door would be cantilevered about a line connecting the first and second cable mounts.
With the door in the deck configuration, stairs may be connected to or otherwise provided adjacent the door to provide access between the door (sometimes referred to herein as the “deck” when in the deck configuration) and the ground. Such stairs typically extend from the free end of the deck and away from the vehicle. It would be desirable to extend the stairs from the side of the deck to better integrate the deck with the area about the entry door of the RV, which typically is located on the passenger side of the RV. The foregoing door support cables, however, preclude extending the stairs from the side of the deck because the cables would interfere with users accessing the stairs from the deck and vice versa.
A railing may be provided to protect against users falling off of the patio deck. The railing typically is supported by posts attached to a peripheral edge or surface of the door. The railing typically includes a first side section extending from the vehicle along the first side of the door, a first return section extending from the first side of the door along the free end of the door to a first side of the stair, a second side section extending from the vehicle along the second side of the door, and a second return section extending from the second side of the door along the free end of the door to a second side of the stair. The first side section and the first return section may be interconnected so that each such section provides lateral support for the other. The second side section and the second return section may be similarly interconnected.